Audrey Ryder 

Although the stubborn Berkeley weather remains stuck in summer, I can’t be the only one already itching at the thought of changing leaves, pumpkin spice, and, of course, the decidedly spooky atmosphere of fall. While I love watching Hocus Pocus and Nightmare on Elm Street as much as the next person, something about curling up in a dimly lit room with a spooky (or cozy!) book feels like fall to me. In fact, I’d argue that the quantity of iconic literature is the best part of the season. Whether you’re a horror fanatic or you’re here for the warm and comfy vibes—or somewhere in between—there’s something for everyone. With that in mind, here’s a rundown of my favorite fall-inspired stories, separated into categories for your convenience.

CLASSIC CHILLS
Over the last few years, I’ve had the absolute pleasure of reading some of the classic foundational texts of horror in Berkeley English classes. Having a perspective of the origins of the genre opens the door to a deeper appreciation for newer stories that reference and riff on these classic scares. As such, here are a few fun classics that capture the spooky fall spirit.

Dracula, Bram Stoker (1897)
Rating: 5/5
Bram Stoker’s Dracula is one of the godfathers of the horror genre with its killer, creeping suspense. Told through a series of letters, diary entries, telegrams, newspaper clippings, and interviews, the story is ahead of its time. Follow the paper trail as Jonathan Harker, English solicitor and the unluckiest man on earth, begins a spiral into gothic madness when he comes into contact with the mysterious Count Dracula. I’m not afraid to admit that I went into reading Dracula with expectations of an outdated, cartoonish vampire, but I was pleasantly surprised by how serious—and scary—the story is. That being said, there’s plenty of humor to be found in this dank, disturbing narrative, such as in the laughable depiction of an American cowboy and Dr. Van Helsing’s ridiculous vernacular. If you haven’t already, check out this iconic piece of horror history, and make sure to keep the garlic close by.

“Rappaccini’s Daughter,” Nathaniel Hawthorne (1844)
Rating: 4.5/5
If you haven’t read this supremely creepy successor to the scientific madness of Frankenstein, I can’t recommend it enough. Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “Rappaccini’s Daughter” follows the titular Rappaccini, an eccentric scientist who lives in a secluded manor with his beautiful daughter, Beatrice. Giovanni, a young man working with a rival of Rappaccini, becomes ensnared by Beatrice’s beauty and attempts to woo her, only to find that there’s something strange, and paranormally phytoid, about this family. This short story has it all, from biblical allusions to the consequences of man’s scientific curiosity, replete with language that both inspires and unnerves. What puts “Rappaccini’s Daughter” toward the top of my favorites list is its slowly unraveling air of mystery which, while rich with analytic potential, is also a fun and spooky read with the right amount of suspense. Check it out through Columbia University here!

“The Black Cat,” Edgar Allan Poe (1843)
Rating: 3.5/5
I own a black cat named Pip. He’s around a year and half old, almost thirteen pounds, and the bane of my existence. This is mainly because of his diet, which includes but is not limited to: popcorn, cereal, bacon grease, and baguettes. He’s a feline garbage disposal with zero chill, but I love him anyway. Edgar Allan Poe’s short story “The Black Cat” takes a more morbid approach to feline companionship. Centered around a paranoid man increasingly agitated by his pet cat, the story culminates in a shocking climax in which the cat ends up somewhere it’s not supposed to be. Be warned: this story includes animal violence and a cruel narrator, so read at your discretion. If you find it appropriate to stick around, however, you’ll find that Poe is a master of slowly corrupting a story with darkness and decay in this portrait of a man who drinks himself into paranoia. Read it here!

NEW NIGHTMARES
Moving away from the classics, I love a horror story that does something different. The three stories below play around with the horror genre to create something new and utterly terrifying.

NOS4A2, Joe Hill (2013)
Rating: 5/5
While the title might evoke creepy, mustachioed vampires and images of Willem Dafoe staring ponderously into the distance, Joe Hill’s NOS4A2 strays far, far away from its inspiration. Based in the same literary universe as The Shining and Doctor Sleep, NOS4A2 follows Vic McQueen, a rebellious young woman who discovers her ability to psychically bend space at an early age. However, she isn’t the only one in this story with incredible powers. Charlie Manx, a seemingly immortal serial killer who feeds on the psyche of children, is on the hunt for victims, and it’s a race against the clock as the two battle it out over time and space. The novel is a zany, action-packed thriller from start to end, with an interesting take on the classic vampire story. One of my favorite details is the character of Maggie, a psychic librarian who divines the future through a Scrabble board, although she’s not your ordinary fortune teller archetype. If you’ve ever played Scrabble, you know that proper nouns like name and places are not admissible words. Maggie is forced to tap into her wit to work around this rule, issuing vague prophecies that advance the plot without making things too easy. NOS4A2 might not have Dracula’s slow-burn suspense, but it makes up for it in pure adrenaline and innovation. Buy a copy for yourself here.

Mexican Gothic, Silvia Moreno-Garcia (2020)
Rating: 4/5
Slow, creepy, and haunting, Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s Mexican Gothic might just be one of my favorite spooky books I’ve read this year. Set in a decrepit mansion on the outskirts of town, the story follows debutante Noemí’s experiences with the Doyle family after she receives an ominous letter from her cousin Catalina. The story cultivates a tense, terrifying atmosphere with rich descriptive language and a series of increasingly sinister reveals, climaxing in a terrifying final act that (without getting too far into spoiler territory) shocked me to my core. If you love the creeping pace and haunting atmosphere of classics like “The Yellow Wallpaper” or the works of H.P. Lovecraft, this book is for you. Get a copy for yourself here, and prepare for a slow, slow burn.

Horrorstör, Grady Hendrix (2014)
Rating: 3.5/5
Join a group of coworkers who have the misfortune of spending a night in the furniture store they work at, only to find that the place of their employment has turned into a ghostly prison run by a maniacal warden with a penchant for torture. I myself have fallen victim to the prison of IKEA with a vague intention of buying furniture for my new apartment, somehow emerging with a full stomach and no furniture whatsoever. Perhaps the real horror lies in mindless meanders through a fluorescently lit department store, and Grady Hendrix’s Horrorstör agrees. Between increasingly disturbing ads for furniture/torture instruments, a diabolical tale filled with scares and laughs unfolds, haunted by the underlying mystery of a supposedly haunted asylum. I absolutely loved Horrorstör’s fresh take on a classic ghost story. The inclusion of furniture-catalog-turned-torture-device illustrations makes for a fun, novel way to add visual interest and a disturbing flourish. Horrorstör is for readers craving a dark comedy with genuine scares. Purchase a copy here!

KEEP IT COZY (AND WITCHY!)
For readers less interested in scares and more into curling up with a cup of tea, there’s nothing better than a cozy read with an enchanting twist. Here are two of my favorite witchy books that are guaranteed to make the fall season a little more magical!

Chocolat, Joanne Harris (1999)
Rating: 4.5/5
This is one of my favorite books of all time. Set in the French countryside, Chocolat follows Vivienne and her young daughter, Anouk, new arrivals to the sleepy town of Lansquenet-sous-Tannes who cause quite a stir. The locals are quick to notice there’s something magical about them, and it’s not long until the villagers find themselves bewitched by Vivienne’s decadent charm, as well as the delectable chocolates she crafts. Not all are so easily enraptured, however. The local priest, Francis Reynaud, has it out for Vivienne, and he’s determined to expel the beguiling chocolatier from his town. Thus begins the battle of sinful sweetness versus astringent abstinence that rapidly unravels into a tale of chocolatey witchcraft, romance, and violence. Ever since I stumbled upon this book in a thrift store a few years ago, it’s been one of my go-to fall comfort books. Although not entirely set in fall, the opening scene of a fall carnival has the warm, witchy vibes we’ve come to associate with this time of year. While you can definitely find cheaper used copies elsewhere, here’s a direct link to purchase Chocolat through Penguin Books.

Which Witch?, Eva Ibbotson (1979)
Rating: 4/5
Although aimed toward younger audiences, Eva Ibbotson’s Which Witch? is a delightfully charming story about a group of English witches vying for the hand of a fearsome wizard. It’s chock-full of tongue-in-cheek humor, adventure, and a cartoonish portrayal of magic that’s just as fascinating as it is hilarious. Local witch Belladonna is cursed with a terrible burden. Unlike her fellow witches, she is a good witch incapable of performing the dastardly evil magic she thinks will win over the wizard Arriman’s heart. Luckily for Belladonna, a new arrival in town is about to change everything. This book holds such a dear place in my heart as a childhood comfort classic that I recently rediscovered. Whether you want to embrace your inner child for a little bit or know someone younger who might enjoy a wacky magical adventure story à la Harry Potter, Which Witch? has a lot to offer. It’s a little hard to track down, but here’s one option to purchase this charming childhood adventure!

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Set in the French countryside, Chocolat follows Vivienne and her young daughter, Anouk … [t]hus begins the battle of sinful sweetness versus astringent abstinence that rapidly unravels into a tale of chocolatey witchcraft, romance, and violence.

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As fall rolls on and we make the trek to movie theaters for horror flicks or wander down to haunted houses and haypatches for homegrown scares, I encourage you to take a minute to curl up with one of these incredible fall reads. If I were to rattle off a few top recommendations, I’d suggest “Rappaccini’s Daughter” for the slow, creeping suspense and old-timey vibes; NOS4A2 for its innovative twist on the classic vampire and electric, action-packed writing; and Chocolat for the warm, sweet, romantic story and mouthwatering descriptions of autumnal baked treats. Happy reading!

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ABRAHAM “BRAM” STOKER (1847–1912) was educated at Trinity College, Dublin and joined the Irish Civil Service before his love of theatre led him to become the unpaid drama critic for the Dublin Mail. He went on to act as as manager and secretary for the actor Sir Henry Irving, while writing his novels, the most famous of which is Dracula.

Dracula can be purchased here.

NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE (1804–1864) was born in Salem, Massachusetts, where he wrote the bulk of his masterful tales of colonial American history.

“Rappaccini’s Daughter” can be purchased here.

EDGAR ALLAN POE was born in Boston, USA, in 1809. Poe, short story writer, editor and critic, he is best known for his macabre tales and as the progenitor of the detective story. He died in 1849, in mysterious circumstances, at the age of forty.

“The Black Cat” can be purchased here.

JOE HILL is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of novels (King Sorrow, The Fireman, NOS4A2, Horns, Heart-Shaped Box), fiction collections (Strange Weather, Full Throttle, 20th Century Ghosts), and a comic-book series (Locke & Key). Much of his work has been adapted for film and TV.

NOS4A2 can be purchased here.

SILVIA MORENO-GARCIA is the author of the novels Velvet Was the Night, Mexican Gothic, Gods of Jade and Shadow, and a bunch of other books. She has been nominated for the Locus Award for her work as an editor and has won the British Fantasy Award and the Locus Award for her work as a novelist.

Mexican Gothic can be purchased here.

GRADY HENDRIX is an award-winning novelist and screenwriter living in New York City. He is the author of several New York Times best sellers including How to Sell a Haunted House, The Final Girl Support Group, The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires, and many more.

Horrorstör can be purchased here.

JOANNE HARRIS is the author of the Whitbread Award-nominated Chocolat (made into an Oscar-nominated film starring Juliette Binoche and Johnny Depp) and eleven other bestselling novels. She plays bass guitar in a band first formed when she was sixteen, is currently studying Old Norse and lives with her husband and daughter in Yorkshire, England.

Chocolat can be purchased here.

EVA IBBOTSON, born Maria Charlotte Michelle Wiesner (1925–2010), was an Austrian-born British novelist, known for her children’s books. She was a finalist for the 2010 Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize at the time of her death.

Which Witch? can be purchased here.